sigsbee



.(NqMode-L) i 2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

C. D.SIGSBE.B.

Trunk Hinge and. Stay. No. 241,078. Patented May3, 188i.

N. PETERS. PhoimLithngrapher. Washington, D. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

G. D. SIGS'BEE. Trunk Hingeand Stay. No. 241,078. Patented May 3,1881.

@Ufff N. PETERS. Fhmo-Uthngmphur. Washington, D. C.

NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. SIGSBEE, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TRUNK HINGE AND STAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,078, dated May 3, 1881.

Application led March 21, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GHAs. D. SIGsBEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vashin gton, District of Columbia, have invented new` and useful Improvements in Trunk Hin ges and Stays, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain novel features of construction in trunk stays and hinges,

and has forits object economy and simplicity to sustain the lid when open and strengthen the hinge when closed.

My invention further consists in the special details of construction hereinafter described and specifically claimed.

ln order that those skilled may readily understand the construction and operation of my improved hinge, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, referring` by letters to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an end elevation of a part of a trunk with my improved hinge applied and sustaining the lid in an open condition. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one form of my improved hinge. Fig'. 3 is a similar view of a simple stay embodying my invention, being the same in construction as that shown at Fig. 2, with the central or hinge portion omitted; Fig. 4, a similar view of a modified form, in which the ends of the two leaves ofthe hinge are bent outward and over to form the linkkeepers, and then flattened down against the body of the leaf, Fig. 5, a similar view of the construction shown at Fig. 4, with the central or hinge portion removed to forni a simple stay; Fig. 6, a perspective view of the form shown at Fig. 4, with the ends of the leaves bent backward instead of outward, as shown in said figure; Fig. 7, a perspective View of the form shown at Fig. 3, with oneof the keepers or stirrups slotted or cut away centrally, to permit the passage of the free ends of the wire link, as clearly shown; Fig. S, a perspective view ofthe form shown at Fig. 2, and with the same sort of a slot as shown at Fig. 7 Fig. 9, a perspective view of a hinge and {No model.)

stay iu which oneleaf is formed with apivotal bearing for the link, and the other with keepers or stirrups of necessarily increased length; and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a simple stay, which may be made of two cast-iron keepers or stirrups and a bent wrought link.

In all the figures of the drawings similar parts are denoted by like letters of reference. The hinge is formed of two wrought-iron leaves, A B, each adapted to the pintle-connection atC, and havingtheir free ends bentto form keepers or stirrups D for a wire link or stay, E, and then extended at F to furnish stock for screw or rivet holes, by which the hinge may be secured to the body and lid ofthe truuk. When made in the form shown at Fig. 2 ofthe drawings-which is the one applied at Fig. 1-a piece, Gr, of thin metal is placed between the hinge and the truuk, to take up the frictional wear of the link; but when made in the forms shown at Figs. 4 and 6 the friction-plate is not necessary, as is obvious by visual inspection, and when made in the forms just referred to, and in order that the extreme outer ends of the hinge may be firmly attached to the trunk, a tongue, H, is formed by punching the same out of the stock forming the front of the keepers or stirrups D. The link may have its ends welded or otherwise connected, and the end bars put into place within the keepers or stirrups D before the hinge or keepers are secured to the trunk; or they may be left disconnected, so that they may be sprung apart either to insert or remove the link; or, as shown at Figs. 7 and S, the ends of the link may be bent into the form there shown, and projected through slots or longitudinal openings I, in which case the ends of the link serve to hold it against accidental displacement in an obvious manner.

Vhen the leaves A B of the hinge are bent p outward or backward, as shown at Figs. 5 and IOO ' rillustrated at Fig. 1, the end bars of the link E will come in contact with the outer ends ot' the keepers or stirrups of the leaves A B, and thus securely hold the lid against undue backward movement, the lid being firmly braced by the link E against the back of the trunk; and when the lid is closed the link will assume the position shown in thewother gures ofthe drawings, the end bars"approaching the center of the hinge and coming in contact with the inner ends of the keepers or stirrups, the side bars lying outside of the edge ofthe hinge; and when in this position it will be observed that the link, being in contact with the inner ends of the keepers or stirrups, serves to relieve the pintle of the hinge from any undue strain, and securely locks the back edge of the lid against any upward movement, thereby greatly strengthening the hinge, and even should the hinge break at its joint the lid of the trunk would be securely held by the staylink. The position ofthe side bars ot the link along the edges of the hinge serves to protect the hinge, and vice versa, and the movement of the end bars in the keepers orstirrups will tend to straighten out or remove any indenations which might be made by the rough handling ot' the trunk. The keepers or stirrups are open at the sides, as clearly shown, so that the link maybe readilysecuredin place from the back or edges ot' the hinge in an obvious manner, and they may or may not extend entirely across the leaves ot' the hinge, though I prefer the former construction, in order that an ordinary rectangular link may be used, which may be pnt in place before or at'- ter the hinge is secured.

Vhen one end of the link is simply pivoted orjournaled to one of the leaves ot' the hinge, as shown at Fig. i), the keeper or stirrup att-he end ofthe other leafmust necessarily belon ger than when each leat' is formed with a keeper, and both ends ofthe link are free tomovelongitudinally; and while I have shown the form of connection shown at Fig. 9, I prefer the two keepers shown in the balance of the figures, for the reason that by the apportionments ot' the necessarily raised surface each one offers less surface to be indented by rough handling, thus decreasing the liability of damage.

While my invention relates, essentially, to

a combined hinge and stay, I have shown the various formsV of keepers or stirrups disconnected from the pintle portion of' the hinge, in order that when connected by the link they shall form a simple stay, which may be used independentlyof the hinge or applied to trunks furnished with other kinds ot' hinges, and I have taken pains to illustrate a series of modifications of my improved hinge and stay, in order that the broad principle of my invention may not be confounded with details of construction, the gist of my invention resting in the idea ot' so hinging the lid of a trunk that the lid shall be stayed or held in an open position, and when closed secured against upward movement; and while my invention contemplates, essentially, a trunk stay or hinge combined in one device, I desire to cover also the stay when separated from the hinge.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A trunk stay-hinge the leaves ot' which are formed with keepers or stirrups adapted to be entered by a stay-link from the side, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A wrought-iron hinge composed of leaves A B, formed with keepers or stirrups D, in combination with a link, E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The leaves A B, returned upon themselves to form the keepers `D, and metallic frictionsurface, substantially as set forth.

4. rIhe keepers or stirrups D, formed with the slot I, in combination with the link E, hav ing its ends projected through said slot and bent down, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The keepers or stirrups D, connected by a link, E, to form ai stay, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. rIhe securing-tongue H, formed from the stock oi" the keepers or stirrnps D, substantially as and for the purpose set fort-h.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two sllbscribing witnesses.

C. D. SIGSBEE.

\Vitnesses:

T. SMITH, Jr., WM. C. MCINTIRE. 

